Bobby's Burger Palace

My transformation into a "foodie", if I even am one, probably began 15 or so years ago (aka known as half my life). The catalyst to that transformation was Bobby Flay. At that time, I didn't cook, couldn't cook, and had never heard of 60% of the ingredients he was using. But his food always looked so damn good and since I didn't live in NYC to visit his restaurants, watching his TV shows and pretending I was eating the screen was the best alternative. So, when I heard that they were putting a Bobby's Burger Palace in the area I was very amped about this. It wasn't one of his fancier restaurants, but it was backed by Bobby Flay and I was going to make one of 15 year old Doug's food dreams come true.

Before I even arrived I knew that I was going to order the hallowed CrunchBurger. After years of being teased by it on TV, I was so ready to sink my teeth into this beauty. And......it was pretty good. It's better than almost any burger you're going to get from a chain restaurant, but I can guarantee you there are better burgers near you. Being that I'm speaking to Baltimore area readers, I know for a fact that there are better burgers to be had. If you don't believe me, try Hamilton Tavern or Alewife. But in regards to the burger in question, I give them high marks for at least allowing you to order the burger to a specific temperature instead of the arbitrary "no pink or some pink" BS that some places do. I ordered mine medium which allowed for extra juiciness. The chips that make this a CrunchBurger, while adding nice texture and contrast to the soft burger and roll, make it all a bit salty.

The highlight of the meal,surprisingly, was the french fries. But it wasn't just the french fries I liked as much as I loved the dipping sauce they serve with it. It reminded me of a spiced up (not heat) thousand island dressing minus the pickle flavor. If they served the sauce as a milkshake I think I'd be set. I loved that stuff. 

So, was 15 year old Doug satisfied with the trip to Bobby's Burger Palace? Yes, he was satisfied, but he wasn't doing back flips and crying burger grease tears of joy like he always expected he would be. If you're in the area and you're in the mood for a burger, you could do far worse than this place. But, if you're looking for one of the best burgers in the area I can point you in a few different directions.

Price: Surprisingly cheap

Recommendation: If you're a fan of Mr. Flay, you gotta try it.

What to Order: CrunchBurger and Fries. Do not pass on the fry sauce!